University of North Texas Athletics
Softball Opens Conference Play With Two Wins
3/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
DENTON (3/10/07) - The North Texas softball team opened Sun Belt Conference play with two wins against Louisiana Monroe on Saturday afternoon at Lovelace Stadium. Kristina Fowler knocked in the game-winning run in the 4-3 decision, while Monica Garcia had the game-winning hit (7-6) in the bottom of the seventh inning in the nightcap.
The Mean Green (5-17, 2-0 Sun Belt) snapped a 14-game losing streak with the 4-3 victory in game one. North Texas also won its first game in its new stadium and took a 7-1 series advantage against the Warhawks. The Mean Green starts off conference play, 2-0; its best start in school history.
"I think the girls did a great job off turning things around," said North Texas Head Coach Kelly Burns. "They relaxed and started having fun. It showed."
Fowler knocked home the game-winning run in the fifth inning of the first game after ULM tied the game with three runs in the fourth. Katya Muller scored on the play after getting on base with a single. Muller went 2-for-3 in the 4-3 win with three runs scored.
Ashley Lail (3-5) took the win in the circle for the Mean Green in the first game. She pitched a complete game, givng up three runs off seven hits.
Fowler (1-8) took the win in the second game after relieving Kayla Lawson in the third inning. She pitched four and two-thirds innings and held the Warhawks scoreless.The junior also helped out offensively in the second game with a solo home run in the sixth inning.
"Kristina was outstanding," said Burns. "She came in and shut ULM down."
While Fowler held ULM scoreless, the Mean Green started chipping away at the Warhawks’ 6-1 lead in the fourth inning. Jonna Williams posted her first hit and RBI of the season with an RBI double down the right field line in the fourth inning to make it 6-2.
Rupp followed Williams’ lead in the sixth inning with an RBI single. The single and RBI were firsts of the season for the senior. Fowler’s home run and Rupp’s RBI brought the Mean Green within two runs of ULM, 6-4.
With runners on second and third and two outs in the seventh, Sarah Jones brought home Muller with an RBI single. The sophomore went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the nightcap and put together a clutch double play to end the first game.
Senior Monica Garcia ended the game with a two-out two-RBI double to left center. The leftfielder had gone hitless the entire day up until her clutch hit in the seventh.
North Texas returns to action on Sunday, March 11 when the Mean Green closes play against Louisiana Monroe with a single game at 1 pm at Lovelace Stadium.
